Prolonging the Vase Life of Cut Roses
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| Photo Credit: Megan Bame |
| With the proper care, your cut roses can shine for up to a week or more. |
214 million. That was the number of roses produced for Valentine’s Day in 2007. Whether single-stemmed or by the dozen, roses are symbolic of love and affection – an apt gift for a holiday devoted to those exact emotions. Whether you’re on the giving or receiving end of a rose bouquet in mid-February – or any other time of the year – there are a few tips that will prolong the enjoyment of these special flowers.
Your roses may be delivered in at least four different ways: - Bunched and “wrapped” in a cellophane sleeve
- In a box, where each stem may be inserted into a plastic water tube
- In an arrangement, using floral foam to support the stems
- Arranged in a vase filled with water
| Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Megan Bame | | Bouquets received in a sleeve should be placed in water immediately. |
In the latter two cases, you simply need to change the water every other day; however, if your flowers aren’t arranged yet, you can significantly affect the vase life of your flowers with proper handling. If you don’t follow these steps, your flowers will probably only last for 4-5 days. But if you do follow this advice, you can likely expect to enjoy your flowers for at least 7-10 days.
- Remove any plastic water tubes, as well as any rubber bands and cellophane. Look for the packet of floral preservative (which is usually included with the flowers).
- Prepare floral preservative according to the directions on the packet. Do not use more water than recommended – that will only dilute the solution, making it less effective.
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| Tips |
- When purchasing cutflowers, you might ask for additional packets of floral preservative so you or your sweetie can make fresh solutions when changing the water.
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| Facts |
- The high price of roses on Valentine’s Day largely reflects the economics of supply and demand. Roses are widely available in the summer for significantly less than the “holiday rate.”
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| Faqs |
- Q: I don’t have any floral preservative. I’ve heard that putting aspirin in vase water helps prolong cutflowers. Is that true?
A: According to cutflower expert and Learn2Grow® writer Lane Greer, aspirin can be beneficial, but whether it works actually depends on the initial pH of the tap water used. (Aspirin is acidic, and if it can lower the water pH in the water sufficiently, an acidic environment will inhibit bacterial growth in the water.) - Q: Why doesn’t my rose smell like a rose?
A: Cut roses are stored in coolers to prolong the life of the bloom, but that cold storage results in decreased fragrance. This may also come as a surprise, but different varieties of roses possess varying degrees of scent, including some that are “scentless.”
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Page 1 of 3
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Next Steps
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From growing to arranging in vases, cutflowers can be enjoyed by everyone for seasons at a time. Here’s a look at a few cutflower favorites for the Northeast.
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